The nurse is creating a care plan for an older adult client who is regularly physically active. Which topic should the nurse include?

Question

a. The older adult can rely on their level of thirst to know when they need to replace fluids.
b. The older adult does not require as much fluid for rehydration when compared to a younger athlete.
c. The older adult may need to eat more than the younger athlete during training to help restore depleted energy stores.
d. The older adult has typically lost some muscle as a result of age and will have a lower basal metabolic rate than the younger athlete.

Answer 1

d. The older adult has typically lost some muscle as a result of age and will have a lower basal metabolic rate than the younger athlete.

The older adult requires as much fluid as any other athlete who is training at the same intensity. The older client should stick to a schedule when drinking fluids because their kidneys and sense of thirst have been altered as a result of age. This client has lost some muscle as a result of age and will most likely have a lower basal metabolic rate due to the muscle loss. They need to eat as much as anyone else who is training at the same intensity.